Logansport Hometown Collaboration Initiative Forum

advertisers

Residents share opinions at HCI Community Forum

Last Updated on January 25, 2017 by cassnetwork

About 100 community members spent the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 24 analyzing data that’s been gathered as part of Logansport’s Hometown Collaboration Initiative process. Participants were divided into small groups to evaluate the data from a community survey taken in December by almost 2,000 people who live or work in Logansport.

Zach Szmara facilitated a workshop in English and Elisa Banuelos-Cortez facilitated a workshop in Spanish, for the first time in the HCI program’s history.

First, participants were asked to independently review the survey report and identify the top three quality of life items they feel are essential to making Logansport an attractive place in the future.  Then, they were asked to discuss with others at their table, and each table shared its top responses. These were captured on flip charts and then participants used sticky dots to vote for their top three.

For the second round, participants switched to new tables for a discussion on “enhancing the local economy,” focused on three questions:

What would our community look like if it had a thriving economy?

What specific economic development strategies would be undertaken to achieve that vision?

Are there any ideas in the community’s existing strategic plans that would fit that vision?

A similar exercise followed, with participants voting on the top three strategies that would foster a thriving local economy.

The final discussion focused on creating a new generation of leaders, through four questions:

  • the most positive features of the community’s current leadership, as identified by survey respondents
  • the most troubling findings in terms of current local leadership  and the level of involvement of community members in local decisions
  • the best ways to create a new generation of leaders in the community
  • other strategies that should be undertaken to expand the active participation of local community members in community improvement activities.

Now, the state team from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Ball State and Purdue University will analyze the data and present it to a local team of about 20 people who have been meeting since early fall for the foundation stage of the HCI program.

The team will review the survey and forum results on February 7, then they’ll dive into the work of choosing a building block to pursue, with a decision tentatively scheduled to be made at their March 8 meeting.

The building blocks from which the team can choose for Phase 2 include the following:

Leadership: Develop a new generation of local leaders who will take an active part in addressing community priorities.

Economy: Build a supportive community environment for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Placemaking:  Invest in your place through creative quality of life initiatives related to public spaces, design, local foods and tourism, among others.

During Phase 3, the capstone phase, the team will develop a project proposal with community input, submit the proposal to the State team for approval and see funding, implement the project and track progress, and document key outcomes of the project.

Logansport’s HCI team is co-chaired by Michelle Dials and Zach Szmara. Members of the core team include Elisa Banuelos-Cortez, Ferd Burgman, Kevin Bostic, Mercedes Brugh, Vicki Byrd, Kevin Callaghan, Deanna Crispen, Bill Cuppy, Claudia Vanessa Garcia, Mang Hau, Erica Hopkins, Christian Madsen, Molly McBride, Jon-Myckle Price, Krista Pullen, Arin Shaver, Michele Starkey, Barbara Stein and Lisa Terry.

More information about Logansport’s HCI program, including minutes from meetings and copies of the various community plans, can be found at indianahci.org/logansport.

Download the Data Snapshot for Cass County here.

Donwload the HCI Survey Results here.

Refreshments for Tuesday’s Community Forum were provided by the Cass County Community Foundation and water was provided by both CCCF and Security Federal Savings Bank.

 

 

Cass County Online